The Last Lily of Summer

 The Last Lily of Summer

Dr Abe V Rotor

 

Soon the first rain of May arrives. Rejoice!

Summer soon ends. Streams meet the river.

Fields turn green, so with the hills, pasture;

And this kindly lily is back to long slumber.  

Powderpuff lily (Haemanthus multiflorus). Photo by the author. 

Living with Nature garden 2026

Your name - powderpuff lily is indeed beautiful,

and you just pop out of the ground so sudden

amidst songs, games and meditation in summer,

surprise to the unwary, to others a good omen.

But may I ask, "Where have you been before?"

neither in habagat nor amihan, you're around

not in the garden, not with flowers often seen,

then like a genie, you rise up - a big red crown.

While the ground is bone dry, the air sultry,

but the sun is milder now, treetops are alive,

children play longer, their lilting heard farther

so with distant thunder, nature's call to abide.

Soon the first rain of May arrives. Rejoice!

Summer soon ends. Streams meet the river.

Fields turn green, so with the hills, pasture;

And this kindly lily is back to long slumber. ~

"A stunning flower unfolds during the month of May.  It forms huge red balls, about six inches in diameter, covered with a multitude of delicate miniature blossoms. Although far away from its native homeland, Africa, the powderpuff lily or blood lily, Haemanthus multiflorus, thrives well in the Philippines.  The inflorescence may remind you of a glorified onion.  The gorgeous flowers last about ten days and are rarely seen during other parts of the year."  (Philippine Ornamental Plants by Mona Lisa Steiner 1960)